Alfalfa grazing management. Pergamino. 17 October 2014

Transcription

1 Alfalfa grazing management Pergamino 17 October 2014

2 Farmer grazing issues 10% flowering basal bud formation Average 23% higher but 3-weeks later Mostly cut and carry for hay/silage Ewes and lambs on lucerne pre-weaning? Animal health issues e.g. bloat

3 Experiment 2 flexible grazing 38 days resting 4 days grazing 25 days resting 3 days grazing

4 Moot et al Vegetative growth 120 Jan Growth rate (kg DM/ha/d) July Spring Autumn Mean temperature ( o C) Feb

5 Partitioning to roots Tap root dry weight (t/ha) day 28-day A S O N D J F M A Month Moot et al. 2003

6 Dry matter production in spring Shoot yield (t DM/ha) day 28-day July August September Teixeira 2006

7 Stem height

8 10% flowering; 60% stem

9 Brown & Moot 2004 Metabolisable energy of lucerne 16 ME (MJ/kg DM) Leaves Stem Yield (t DM /ha)

10 Brown & Moot 2004 Crude protein of lucerne herbage % Crude protein Leaves Stems Yield (t DM /ha)

11 Seasonal grazing management Spring 1 st rotation aided by root reserves to produce high quality vegetative forage. can graze before flowers appear (~1500 kg DM/ha) ideally ewes and lambs but Growing point at the top of the plant

12 RG/Wc Lucerne CF/Sub CF/Balansa CF/Cc CF/Wc The MaxClover Grazing experiment in paddock H19 at Lincoln University

13 Moot 2012 Figure 1. Total annual accumulated dry matter production Total annual accumulated DM yield (t DM/ha/y) Year / Year / Year / Year / Jul02 Jan03 Jul03 Jan04 Jul04 Jan05 Jul05 Jan06 Jul06 Jan07 Jul07 Jan08 Jul08 Jan09 Jul09 Jan10 Jul10 Jan11 Jul11 Date Year / Year / Year / Year / mm 493 mm 635 mm 601 mm 643 mm 651 mm 767 mm 612 mm 602 mm Year /11 CF/Sub CF/Bal CF/Wc CF/Cc RG/Wc Luc Rainfall

14 MaxClover day rotation DM Yield (t/ha) Monthly rainfall (mm) Moot & Smith 2011 Practical Lucerne Management Guide 0 0 Jul07 Sep07 Nov07 Jan08 Mar08 May08 Jul08 Date

15 Rotation 1 Pre-graze Plot 1 (21/9/07) 2.3 t DM/ha cm tall

16 5 MaxClover day rotation DM Yield (t/ha) Monthly rainfall (mm) Moot & Smith 2011 Practical Lucerne Management Guide 0 0 Jul07 Sep07 Nov07 Jan08 Mar08 May08 Jul08 Date

17 Rotation 2 Pre-graze Plot 1 (2/11/07, 38 d) 2.9 t DM/ha cm tall

18 IMG_0826.jpg MS Maxclover Plot 25 day 0 7/9/2009 Grazing sequence Plot 25 Day 0 (7/9/2009)

19 IMG_0849.jpg MS Plot 25 day 1 8/9/2009 Grazing sequence Plot 25 Day 1 (8/9/2009)

20 IMG_0855.jpg MS MaxClover Plot 25 Day 2 9/9/2009 Grazing sequence Plot 25 Day 2 (9/9/2009)

21 IMG_0867.jpg MS MaxClover Plot 25 day 3 10/9/2009 Grazing sequence Plot 25 Day 3 (10/9/2009)

22 IMG_0888.jpg MS MaxClvoer Plot 25 Day 4 10/9/2009 Grazing sequence Plot 25 Day 4 (11/9/2009)

23 Grazing sequence Plot 25 Day 5 (12/9/2009) IMG_0903.jpg MS MaxClover Plot 25 Day 5 12/9/2009

24 Grazing sequence Plot 25 Day 7 (15/9/2009) IMG_0915.jpg MS MaxClover Plot 25 Day 7 15/9/2009

25 DSCN1855.jpg MS MaxClover 15/9/2008

26 5 th September 2011 Cave Sth Canterbury

27 Seasonal grazing management Spring/summer (Nov-Jan) Priority is stock production (lamb/beef/deer) graze 6-8 weeks solely on lucerne 5-6 paddock rotation stocked with one class of stock (7-10 days on) allowance kg DM/hd/d increase later in season

28 Spring grazing

29 Stocking rates in New Zealand Spring 14 ewes plus twins/ha Summer 70 lambs/ha Ideally 7-14 days maximum on any one paddock Lush growth requires a source of fibre

30 Photo: D Avery Bonavaree, Marlborough Maximize reliable spring growth high priority stock

31 DSC-4794.jpg Bonavaree? 1/9/2009 Photo: D Avery Bonavaree, Marlborough

32 Photo: D Avery Bonavaree, Marlborough Fibre and salt

33 Seasonal grazing management Spring/summer (Nov-Jan) Priority is stock production (lamb/beef/deer) graze 6-8 weeks solely on lucerne 5-6 paddock rotation stocked with one class of stock (7-10 days on) allowance kg DM/hd/d increase later in season

34 14 ewes + twins/ha

35 Animal health Clostridial bacteria: vaccinate Cobalt: vitamin B12 injection Worm haven: Camping on small area river edge? Avoid flushing if: leaf spots or flowering lucerne - new regrowth or tops only are O.K.

36 Dairy cows

37 Animal health Redgut: problem on high quality feeds fibre Bloat: cattle more than sheep capsules Na def. (0.03%): salt licks/fence-line weeds/pasture Require 0.11% Na - sheep/beef/dairy

38 High numbers for 7-10 days

39 Bloat (Note this animal survived) Photo: D Avery Bonavaree, Marlborough

40 Seasonal grazing management Early autumn (Feb-April) terminal drought graze standing herbage allow 50% flowering long rotation (42 days) somewhere between Jan and end of May build-up root reserves for spring growth and increase stand persistence

41 Rotation 4 Pre-graze Plot 6 (28/2/08) 2.0 t DM/ha produced in 51 d Autumn = flowering plants But don t flush on this!

42 Case study Bonavaree farm Over grazed high erosion risk Photo: D Avery Bonavaree, Marlborough

43 Annual rainfall at Bonavaree Annual rainfall (mm) Year NIWA, Cliflo database

44 Lincoln University

45 Salt bush Young lucerne Photo: D Avery Bonavaree, Marlborough Chemically fallowed land

46 Moot & Avery 2013 Bonavaree production change over 10 years Change Land area (ha) % Sheep numbers % Lambing (%) % Lamb weights (kg) % Lamb sold (kg) % Wool (kg) % Sheep:cattle 70:30 50:50 Gross trading profit (ha) $500 $ %

47 Resilient drought-proofed landscape SI Farmer of the Year 2010

48 Integrity & Trust

49 ewes and lambs grazing Bonavaree Oct 2014 a.jpg Doug Avery 10/10/2014 Ewes & lambs graze lucerne at Bonavaree, Marlborough Lambs approx. 6 weeks old Photo: D Avery

50 References & Links Dryland Pastures Website: Dryland Pastures Blog: Lincoln University: Brown, H. E. and Moot, D. J Quality and quantity of chicory, lucerne and red clover production under irrigation. Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association, 66, Online: Moot, D. J An overview of dryland legume research in New Zealand. Crop and Pasture Science, 63, Online: Moot, D. J. and Avery, D Sustainable intensification of livestock grazing systems in low rainfall regions of New Zealand. In: First International Conference on Global Food Security, 29 September - 2 October 2013, Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands. Elsevier Ltd. p O3.O3 (4 pgs). Moot, D. J., Brown, H. E., Teixeira, E. I. and Pollock, K. M Crop growth and development affect seasonal priorities for lucerne management. In: D.J Moot (Ed.). Legumes for Dryland Pastures. Proceedings of a New Zealand Grassland Association Symposium November 2003, Lincoln University, New Zealand. New Zealand Grassland Association. Research & Practice Series Vol. 11. p Online: Moot, D. J. and Smith, M Practical Lucerne Management Guide. 9 pp. Research/presentations/Lucerne-management-guide-Col.pdf. NIWA CliFlo Database - National Climate database. Date Accessed: 31/08/10. Last Updated: Not Specified. Teixeira, E. I Understanding growth and development of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) crops with contrasting levels of perennial reserves. Ph.D. thesis, Lincoln University, Lincoln, Canterbury. 274 pp. Online: